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Head of Engineering - Manufacturing
Knauf UK & Ireland
Source: Headcount Labs · original listing ↗
Job data: Headcount Labs, ODbL 1.0. Job descriptions belong to their employers.
Source date: 11/3/2026
About this role
WEI_UK_0033 Knauf stands for opportunity. We know that opportunity looks different to each person and we are proud that we see opportunity in everyone. This exciting role within the Engineering and Plant Management Team could be the perfect next opportunity for you to build a unique career, in a values-led culture with a clear purpose of making tomorrow a home for all of us. As a Group we are a global manufacturer of construction materials and our 43,500 team members in 90 countries across 320 sites provide a huge opportunity for anyone with ambition and energy. We value everyone's contribution equally and we ask that you bring your whole self to work, to enrich the business further, as together we achieve more in a safe and inclusive environment. At Knauf UK (Gypsum) we are seeking to appoint a Head of Engineering, reporting to the Plant Director at our Sittingbourne site. The working hours for this role are 8:00am to 4:30pm. Can you say yes? • Do you have experience working in a fast-paced continuous manufacturing environment, as a senior leader? • Do you have experience delivering engineering projects on time and within budget, as well as improving plant uptime and reliability through preventive and predictive maintenance? • Do you hold a degree or higher qualification in Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial or Manufacturing Engineering? If so we would welcome your application. What you'll be doing: • As a member of the Plant Leadership Team, you will nurture and support the continuous improvement journey through coaching the team in data-based problem solving and corrective action using the PDCA cycle. • You are required to follow company and government Health Safety Quality and Environment procedures and policies to ensure the safety of yourself and others and site wide compliance with Quality and Environmental requirements. • You are required to have safe system of work in place for all engineering activities (eg but not limited to Management of the site Permit to Work System, Confined Space). • Train and enforce safety procedures and all applicable regulations for engineering team and relevant contractors. • Overall responsibility for the strategy, planning, on-time implementation and budget adherence for the entire factory engineering Opex and investment portfolio. • Overall accountability for the strategy, planning, and implementation of planned preventative and reactive maintenance for the site. • Responsible for special Repair Projects. • Oversee maintenance and appearance of facilities and equipment. • Determine priorities and equipment needs for maintenance and repairs. • Incorporate a Professional Maintenance standard across site in line with KNE guidance. • Provide a fast and efficient breakdown repair service for the site which minimises plant downtime. • Ensure that all plant and equipment is maintained to a standard which delivers safe, high quality, efficient production. • Manage the maintenance function ensuring, track and document all maintenance, upgrades, and repairs, including budget. • Leadership, coaching and development of a multi-disciplined process engineering team. • Provide product and process expertise, ensuring material and process parameters are fully optimised. • Develop project team, ensuring project planning tools such as Microsoft office, multifunctional team meetings and project management competence. • Ensure succession plans are in place for all critical engineering roles. What we'd love for you to have: • Qualified Electrical or Mechanical Engineer to minimum HNC Level or equivalent. • 6 Sigma Green Belt in process improvement • Proven experience of PLC controlled systems • Experience of working in a fast-paced continuous manufacturing environment and demonstrable experience of project management • Advanced Excel and data analysis skills essential. • Takes responsibility for the quality of all deliverables, contributes to doing things better & faster. • Adapts to changing priorities as needed and escalates issues before they become problems. • Collaborates easily with others and adapts to different working styles. We will provide: • A competitive salary of £80,000 - £90,000 + car allowance + package • 25 days annual leave + bank holidays • Three paid days leave for community, charitable, or voluntary commitments. • 7% employer pension contribution. • Level 3 Westfield Cashplan Healthcare. • Income Protection • Access to a Reward & Benefits platform. • Access to Employee Assistance Program (legal or medical advice). • Life Assurance (x 4 times your basic salary). • Cycle to Work Scheme and Tech Scheme What happens next? We appreciate that your time is precious and applying for a new job can be a lengthy process - so we have committed to replying to your application within three working days. KUK Department Engineering Role Engineering Location Sittingbourne Employee Benefits Here at Knauf, our colleagues receive the following benefits: • Competitive annual leave entitlement. • Birthday as Paid Leave • Three paid days leave for community, charitable, or voluntary commitments. • 7% employer pension contribution. • Level 3 Westfield Cashplan Healthcare. • Income Protection • Access to Perkbox benefits platform. • Access to Employee Assistance Program (legal or medical advice). • Life Assurance (x 4 times your basic salary). • Cycle to Work Scheme and Tech Scheme. About Knauf UK & Ireland We are one of the leading manufacturers of gypsum-based building materials in the UK. We are proud to be a part of the Knauf Group, one of the largest independent building materials manufacturers in the world. We sell plasterboard, plaster, metal sections, flooring, external renders, insulating laminates, drywall accessories and more and have more than 320 plants and sales organisations in over 96 countries. We employee over 43,500 people worldwide. Founded in 1932 Co-workers 43,500 Turnover €15.6bn